OtterBox makes rugged cases and the OtterBox Defender series cases are among their most rugged cases. While they are great for protecting more portable devices like smartphones, these rugged cases might become essential for those who work in the field and need to take their tablets with them. The OtterBox Defender case for the Motorola Xoom offers serious protection for the entire tablet and the case is durable, shock absorbent and comes with a built-in stand. We loved the Defender Series cases for the iPad and the BlackBerry PlayBook, and the Defender case for the Motorola Xoom is an exceptional case as well.

Design

Following the series formula, the OtterBox Defender Series Case for Motorola Xoom has a polycarbonate hard shell that?s a two-part snap on case. It?s easy to put it on, just take the top part off, put the Motorola Xoom in the bottom case, then snap the top to the case via four snap joints. Same thing when you take the case off, just separate the four snaps to take the top off. The hard shell case covers the back and sides of the Motorola Xoom, as well as some bezel space around the front display, creating a hard shell frame around the screen. The hard shell has cell foam pieces on the inside and won?t scratch the surface of your Motorola Xoom. Outside of the hard shell, the OtterBox has a layer of silicone skin wrapped around the back and sides. Like with other Defender cases, the silicone layer has lips on the edges that you can slide into the slots on the hard shell case so that the silicone case will stay in place. The silicone layer protects the hard shell case and absorbs shocks and bumps for the tablet.

With the back and sides of the Motoroal Xoom nicely protected, the OtterBox Defender case has only one thing left to protect, the screen. And for that, the case offers a hard shell shield that can snap onto the hard shell case on the front to provide a protective armor for the screen. The removable shield can also go onto the back of the case when you are using the tablet, or function like a stand for you to prop up the tablet in two viewing angles to play your multimedia content or video chat.

The OtterBox Defender Series Case for Motorola Xoom has a well thought-out design and the tablet is very functional while in the Defender case. The case has silicone cover for ports and buttons, and provides good protection against dust, shock, drops and bumps, but the case isn?t waterproof. As with other OtterBox Defender cases, the Motorola Xoom case comes in black. For a rugged case, the OtterBox Defender Series actually doesn?t add much bulk to the case, and it adds 8.48 oz. weight to the Xoom.

Features

Behind layers of protection, the Motorola Xoom Defender Series case is actually a very functional case. It deals with different ports and buttons in different ways, but makes certain they are all covered yet have easy access. The Motorola Xoom has an HDMI, microUSB and charging port on the bottom, the OtterBox Defender case has a really nice design to provide access to these bottom ports. The case has a snap-on door that not only leaves these ports accessible when you lift it open, it also allows you to use docking stations while the tablet is in the case. The snap-on door is made with the same hard shell material as the rest of the case and has a layer of silicone cover over the hard shell. The door has foam pieces on the inside as well. For the audio jack and microSD card slot on top of the tablet, the Defender case offers cutouts in the hard shell case but covers them with silicone cover. Lift the silicone cover to access these ports. There are cutouts on the front screen frame as well for the front facing camera and the sensor.

The Motorola Xoom Defender Series case has cutouts for the back stereo speakers, the camera and dual LED flash, but keeps the power button and the side volume buttons under the silicone cover. You can use these buttons easily under the cover though. If you snap on the front shield to the back the tablet, the shield also offers access to the power button but it has no cutouts for the rear camera or the speakers. The front cover doubles as a stand, and it?s better built than the stand in the Defender for the BlackBerry PlayBook that wasn?t very strong. The stand in the Defender case for the Motorola Xoom is strong and sturdy. It?s wide and the folding motion is smooth. You can stand your Motorola Xoom in two positions and both positions can keep the tablet steady. When the stand isn?t in use, it folds flat to the shield, and won?t touch the Xoom?s screen when you put the front shield on as there is quite a bit of space between them.

Conclusion

If you need a rugged case for the Motorola Xoom and are a fan of OtterBox cases, the Defender Series case is what you?ve been waiting for. It has a very nice design that provides great protection for your tablet and keeps it very functional while in the case. The built-in stand is handy when you need to do video chat out in the field and it doubles as a screen cover that?s both strong and durable. Even though the Defender series case for the Motorola Xoom is rugged, it actually doesn?t add much bulk to the tablet.